


protecting what the heart holds dear

by Sorahana



Category: LazyTown
Genre: A lot of cursing, Bullying, Hurt/Comfort, Implied homophobia, M/M, the oc is being a douche solely for the otp to tear into him, threats are thrown around, unnamed original character as the bad guy in this, you do not mess with the kids unless you want to face the wrath of the power couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-05-17
Packaged: 2018-11-01 20:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10929552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorahana/pseuds/Sorahana
Summary: Someone's going to learn that you should never ever mess with any of the kids. Facing not only the town hero but the local villain too? Yeah, it's going to be a massacre.





	protecting what the heart holds dear

**Author's Note:**

> finally I get to finish this thing jeebus. been working on this on and off for about a week now. wanted to finish it earlier but i was down with a fever for a couple of days ( still am but i'm functioning so yay! ) everyone's probably going to be ooc in this but my excuses are 1. no one ever really seen how they are when they're furious and 2. in Sport's case, I love the idea of him having these elvish sort of urges to protect his cubs. basically it's just a mish mash of ideas that i decided to push into this one massive one-shot
> 
> apologies if some sentences sounds weird or the flow is choppy. wrote second half then wrote everything else when I was feverish and doped up on cold meds. i might have missed a lot of grammar mistakes that i may or may not fix when i feel better
> 
> massive shout out to RottenSocksandFluff because honestly, it was their idea that sparked this thing. Some of the major scenes and dialogue came from my conversation with them so yeah, thanks a bunch!
> 
> without further ado, please have the protective power couple

Sportacus liked to believe himself to be a good, slightly above average hero. He helped the kids practice healthy lifestyle habits, encouraged them to be active by playing with them and generally try to be there when they needed help even if his crystal didn’t beep.

He thought that everyone in LazyTown was happy. Oh how wrong he was.

It was only by chance that Sportacus learnt about it. Just another day where he patrolled the town through the skies, checking up on everyone with his telescope. It went from all the favorite spots, like the park and town hall. After that, he went to the houses, finding that most of the kids were indoors, presumably doing their homework. It had been around a month since they returned to school and Sportacus often reminded them to finish whatever work they have before they could reward themselves by playing outside.

He finally reached Pixel’s house. Sportacus expected to see him in his room, in front of his computers but instead he found him sitting outside in his backyard, looking… sad.

Sportacus observed him for a moment longer before he put away his telescope, looking down at his crystal with a frown. Why wasn’t it beeping? Wasn’t it supposed to alert him of any trouble? A sad child certainly constituted as one for him.

Instead of contemplating on it any further, Sportacus climbed down the ladder, dashing down the road to Pixel’s home. He bypassed the front, heading to his backyard with a simple jump over the wall. Upon seeing his entrance, Pixel looked up in surprise.

“Sportacus!” He quickly swiped at his eyes. “What are you doing here? Is there a problem?”

“Hey there Pixel,” Sportacus returned the greeting softly, making sure to plaster on a friendly smile. “No, no. There’s no problem. I was just checking up on the town.”

Pixel dipped his head. “I see. Well, thanks for checking up on me but I’m fine!” The way he spoke it was too quick and stilted to be anything other than the truth. Instead of answering, Sportacus took a seat next to Pixel. He looked up at his airship in the sky.

“You know Pixel, you can talk to me about anything.” The way he flinched at his words further rose his suspicions that something was up. Still, Sportacus didn’t push. He simply reminded him that he was there to listen, that he was a hero and a friend that wanted him to help if he needed it.

Silence stretched for what seemed like forever before a quiet voice asked. “Sportacus, am I a weakling?”

The hero turned sharply, eyes widening for the briefest of moments before he schooled his features. Sportacus needed to be the strong, steady figure right now. “No, Pixel. Highlands no.”

Another beat of silence. “Am I a pathetic nerd then?”

Once more, he had to keep his expression calm, even as his heart sped up just a bit. Where was this coming from? “Pixel, you’re not a pathetic nerd. You’re a very brilliant child, able to create all sorts of neat inventions that even I have trouble wrapping my head around.” After a brief mental debate, Sportacus draped his arm over his shoulders, pulling him into a half-hug.

“Pixel… why are you asking this?” Sportacus questioned gently, pouring in as much sincerity as he could into his words. Pixel didn’t immediately answer, though he did turn to tuck himself into Sportacus’ chest. He wrapped both of his arms around the small frame that seemed to be shaking.

What happened and why hadn’t his crystal made a single sound?

“I just…” He heard a sniffle, which prompted him to make soft shushing noises. That helped calm the child somewhat as he received a shaky answer. “At school…”

His mind whizzed by a hundred miles an hour, all sorts of speculations popping up faster than he could process. What he focused primarily on was the possibility of Pixel getting bullied. That would explain his oddly quiet behavior and the remarks about himself.

“Are you… getting picked on by the other kids?” Sportacus ventured carefully, desperately hoping that there was a chance it was something else entirely. The boy sniffled some more before he felt his head shake. If it wasn’t the other kids, then who…?”

“Not kids… It was… Mr…” Pixel trailed off, voice cracking as he broke down into sobs. Sportacus’ attention immediately went to the crying child in his arms, cooing softly into his ears as he rocked him back and forth. The hero rubbed his back, not minding the growing wetness on his shoulder.

After several minutes, Pixel’s sobs died down into some light sniffling and hiccups. Sportacus held him a while longer before slowly pulling back, his hands on his shoulders. “Do you feel better?”

He received a single nod.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up inside,” Sportacus suggested, quickly rising to his feet. Instead of holding his hand, he instead picked up the child and carried him inside. There were no protests, simply a small content sigh as Pixel nuzzled into the crook of Sportacus’ neck.

Sportacus helped wash his face, coaxed him into drinking some water before tucking him into bed for a nap. Crying drained a lot out of someone, especially if they were just a kid. He observed Pixel until he fell into a deep sleep before he quietly left the room, closing the lights in the process.

As soon as he was outside, Sportacus allowed himself the chance to rewind everything that happened alongside the little bit of info that he got.

Pixel was sad. Self-confidence took a blow from getting picked on at school. Not from children his age but…

He said a Mister, as in an adult. Sportacus felt a spark flicker to life within his chest, igniting a deep burn that he rarely felt.

Was there a possibility that Pixel was getting bullied by a teacher?

Right now he was simply speculating and riling himself up in the process. Sportacus shouldn’t keep this to himself. He had to tell someone and he knew just the person to go to.

It was a quick jog to Robbie’s lair, to which the fire slowly but surely grew the longer he allowed his thoughts to run rampant. Sportacus rapped the top of the hatch in quick succession, waiting for a few seconds before knocking again.

His sharp hearing picked up an exasperated groan so he took a step back, waiting until an irritated looking Robbie popped open the hatch.

“What do you want Sporta…” His words died off upon seeing the uncharacteristically serious expression.

“Something happened.” It wasn’t a question. Sportacus gave a tight nod. Robbie eyed him for a moment longer before sighing once more.

“Well, come on in.” With that invitation, Sportacus followed after the villain, falling down the pipes till he stuck the landing. Robbie was in front of him in seconds, pulling him into a tight hug. His arms immediately wrapped itself around his waist, nose buried into Robbie’s chest as he took in his partner’s comforting scent.

Oil. Sugar. Moonlight. Robbie.

Sportacus could feel his body relaxing, not realizing that it had been so tense in the first place. His muscles adhered to Robbie’s touch, the gentle rubbing earning him a slight, content purr. Robbie managed to continue this motion with Sportacus half draped over him as he walked over to the orange chair.

After a bit of maneuvering, Sportacus sat on his lip, hat off and body twisted slightly so he could rest his head against Robbie’s chest. His steady heartbeat finally released all the tension in his body and along with it, the fog of rage that had started to settle in his mind. Good. Sportacus didn’t like it when he get angry. Sometimes it was necessary but it wasn’t a good feeling for him regardless.

“You feel better?” Robbie gently asked. He nodded his head, his hair grazing the underside of his chin. “So, what exactly happened?”

Pixel’s sad expression flashed in his mind and for a split second, he could feel it building again. Then Robbie rubbed the back of his neck and he relaxed, giving him the chance to speak with a clear mind.

“I think Pixel’s getting bullied,” Sportacus spoke. Robbie’s hand froze for a moment before he continued with the comforting ministrations.

“At school?” Robbie asked, voice sounding a little tight.

“Yes. What’s worse is that…” Here, Sportacus’ words trailed off. He lightly pushed himself up, just enough so he could look at Robbie in the eye when he said, “I think a teacher’s bullying him.”

“What!?” Robbie’s expression darkened as he sat upright, forcing Sportacus to sit as well. While seeing such a look on his partner’s wasn’t ideal, at the very least he wasn’t alone in this.

“I came across Pixel earlier. He looked sad,” Sportacus started to explain, brows slowly pinching together. “When I asked what’s wrong, he started to ask if he was a pathetic nerd. I didn’t get a full answer before he started to cry but he did say it wasn’t kids that was bullying him. It was a Mr.” Sportacus’ eyes became hard. “Either it’s a parent or a teacher. My gut feeling says it’s the latter.”

Robbie didn’t answer immediately. He still looked furious but there was that gleam in his eyes that spoke of a brilliant mind going through all the angles and coming up with solutions for the problem at hand.

Silence stretched for what seemed like forever before Robbie spoke up. “We’re going to his school tomorrow.”

“What?” Sportacus stared at his partner’s determined look.

“If he’s really being bullied, we need proof. We can’t just go in this without proper planning.” The hero couldn’t help but smile upon hearing the protective tone in his voice. Robbie might act like the children were nothing more than a bunch of annoying brats but he could see how fondly he looked at them whenever he thought that no one was looking.

Going to Robbie was definitely a good idea. He felt better knowing that he wasn’t going in this alone. Having someone to ground him would definitely be good if he were to slip into that mindset. He didn’t exactly trust himself if that were to happen.

“Okay. We’ll go check it out tomorrow.” Sportacus went back to nuzzle into Robbie’s chest, feeling much more secure on how to handle this problem. “Thanks a lot Robbie. I… wouldn’t know what to do, honestly.”

He heard a small sigh. The touch was back, making him melt into Robbie’s hold. “You’re just a musclebound hero sometimes.” His tone was more exasperated than hurtful. “I didn’t know how you survived this long without my brilliance.”

Sportacus merely giggled instead of answering. He allowed himself to get lost in the moment, letting himself relax because he had a feeling he won’t get this sort of chance in the near future.

* * *

 A simple description of the school would be normal. It wasn’t too small nor too big with a cafeteria located on one end with a field situated at the other. Currently, the pair was hiding behind a couple of trees a ways away from the track field.  When asked as to why Robbie chose to observe from here, he gave a vague answer of how it was a gut feeling.

While Sportacus was confused yet compliant, Robbie observed the field like a hawk. Based from what he got from the hero, it helped him narrow down the possible suspects. He was confident in doing so because, as much as he hated it, he had a possible… similar experience in the past. If that was really the case, then Robbie wouldn’t let it stand.

While Robbie was able to sit still for a long time, Sportacus wasn’t having the same luck. He could feel the thrum of nervous energy alongside something he couldn’t quite identify. The hero wanted to move around but Robbie had told him that they couldn’t draw any attention. The last thing he wanted was for someone to call the cops on them for suspicious looking activity.

Sportacus tried his best to stay still. He started to drum his fingers atop his thigh. When that didn’t work, he tried to do discreet sit ups. When that made too much movement, he tried to count every single leaf in the tree.

Just as he reached the two hundreds, Robbie turned around. Sportacus was prepared for some sort of biting remark but then, a Rubik’s cube was pushed into his hands. The blond didn’t question where Robbie kept the thing but he was grateful for it as it helped channel his focus and energy into something else. Sportacus could do all sorts of exercises without breaking a sweat but when he was faced with mental exercise, it would use up more of his attention, which was perfect in this situation.

Sportacus didn’t know how long he played with the cube when Robbie tapped his shoulder.

“Look!” Robbie harshly whispered, prompting him to scramble up and followed his gaze. There, he saw that the field was no longer empty. It looked to be an entire class ready for PE. Among the group was Pixel, who stood a bit further away from the pack, looking downright nervous.

“Alright everyone, listen up!” The teacher called for their attention. He didn’t look all that special. Short blond hair tucked underneath a cap, T-shirt and shorts that showed off his sturdy body and a whistle hung around his neck. “Today we’re going to do laps! After that it’s a game of dodgeball! Now, get a move on!”

The couple watched as the students started to run with Pixel being at the middle of it all. As they made their first lap, he started to trail behind, looking winded. By the second lap, he was completely behind and breaking away from the group. He was lightly jogging now, his breaths coming out in sharp puffs.

Sportacus felt his heart rate speed up when the teacher turned to face Pixel. “Come on Hyperbyte! Pick it up and stop being a pathetic nerd!”

Pixel bobbed his head, looking completely out of breath but he tried to pick up his pace. Of course, that backfired when he tripped and fell. Sportacus vaguely heard his crystal beeping over the sudden roar in his ears at the sight of teacher shaking his head in disgust. Instead of helping him up, the teacher had the nerve to further berate the boy, calling him a loser if he couldn’t even complete the laps given.

Pixel then shakily pushed himself up, giving a mechanical nod before he started to jog again. Even if he couldn’t see his face properly, Sportacus was sure the kid was fighting back tears. If that wasn’t bad enough, the dodgeball match afterwards was a complete massacre. Everyone from the other team targeted Pixel and not only was the teacher not doing anything, he was encouraging them to do so.

Sportacus initially watched in a stunned sort of horror at the despicable acts an adult was doing towards a child. The rush in his ears was replaced by the sound of his own heartbeat. The longer Sportacus watched, a different feeling started creeping up, slowly filling his heart and mind. It was… old, ancient, and _primal_. Like a caged animal that had slept for so long started to fight for its freedom again.

It clawed at his chest, swiping and thrashing with a ferocity that was almost painful. Heat started to course through his body as a thought popped up in his mind.

He was… he was hurting Pixel. Making him feel sad. Hurt. He was… he was hurting _his pup_. No one. **No one** was allowed _to hurt_ **his pup.** Need to. Need to make it stop. Stop by… eliminating. Yes, _eliminate_ the _threat_ make him stop by **HARMING HIM—**

“Sportacus!” A sudden shout penetrated the fog in his mind, followed by a sudden sharp sting on his cheeks. Suddenly, he was staring straight in Robbie’s eyes, could feel his body shaking. He unclenched his fists and jaw, cutting off the deep growling in his throat.

“Calm down. Calm down please, for me…” Robbie whispered, pulling Sportacus into an embrace. He was tense but slowly, Robbie performed the actions that never failed to make him relax. Gentle rubs, soothing scratches, just about everything that eventually made him limp in Robbie’s hold.

Now that his head was clear, Sportacus felt a rush of shame. It had been quite some time since he last felt his control slipping. He often had a good grip on his more… primeval side, the urges that came with the blood coursing through his veins. Elves were very protective to those they saw as precious, as part of their circle, as _their own._

Seeing Pixel be treated in such a way nearly made his control snap. Thankfully, Robbie was there to stop him from doing something he might have regretted.

“You okay now?” Robbie asked, his hands running up and down the length of his spine. Sportacus hummed in response.

“Sorry about that.” Referring to the whole going feral kind of thing. “I don’t usually get like that.”

Robbie snorted. “Yeah, I can tell. Scared the hell out of me when I saw you looking like you were two seconds away from committing murder.”

Sportacus didn’t reply. While he wouldn’t go that far, in his rage to protect, it might have reached that point regardless. His punches could easily break bone if he applied enough force behind it.

“Sorry for slapping you. It was the only option I had left.”

“No, it’s fine. That brought me back.” Sportacus heaved out a shaky sigh. While it wasn’t a burning white hot rage, he could still feel it in his chest, a low yet steady kind of heat. “I was just… so angry. Pixel doesn’t deserve to be treated like that.”

“I know.” Robbie’s hug tightened. “I understand how you feel. I want nothing more than to sic my latest inventions on him but… we can’t just go and stop it, no matter how we feel.” He heard a frustrated noise. “It’ll attract too much attention and we’ll definitely have the security guards on our asses for forcibly trying to enter a school. While you’re the hero, if you went in looking like you did before, that’s not going to help at all.”

Sportacus hated that Robbie made sense. He could see where he was coming from but that didn’t make it any better. Pixel was hurting and they couldn’t do anything about it just yet.

“We’ll wait. The moment school ends and he’s alone…”

* * *

The wait was almost agonizing to Sportacus. By then, he had calmed down enough to get a proper hold of his control that if he were face to face with that teacher, his fists won’t be flying just yet. Robbie had a dark look on his face, remaining eerily quiet. He didn’t know what was going through his mind but he could tell it wasn’t anything pleasant.

When the school bell signaled the end of the day’s lessons, Robbie had turned to him, hands planted on his shoulders.

“Let me go in first.” His tone was firm and brook no argument. “I’m better with my words. You stay out of sight until it looks like I need help, okay?” Robbie was confident in his abilities to get away if things turned physical but having his strong partner there helped ease some of his worries.

Sportacus looked like he wanted to protest but he nodded his head anyway. He just had to trust Robbie with this.

They waited some more until finally, they saw an uncomfortably familiar face exiting the school. From the looks of it, he was heading towards the storage area. He didn’t get very far before Robbie was approaching him, staying behind the fence as he called out.

“Hey you!” The teacher paused in his steps, turning until his eyes landed on Robbie’s figure. He looked confused before the villain continued, “Yes you. You’re the only ugly mug right now.”

That got a reaction. His features twisted into anger. “What?” He started to make his way to the fence, seemingly unafraid. With his stature, he thought he could make quick work of Robbie if it came down to it. “What the hell’s your problem?”

As soon as he was within reach, Robbie jabbed his finger through the hole in the fence, taking great satisfaction at the pained gasp when it hit his chest. “You! You’re my problem!”

“What the fuck? I’ve never even seen you before?”

Robbie didn’t answer that one and instead, took in a deep breath. “You. You’re being nothing more than a bully.” When that earned him a confused look, his jaw clenched in anger. Did he honestly not see? “You’re bullying Pixel.”

“What? You mean the nerd? How am I bullying him?”

“That! Calling him a nerd!” Robbie shouted. “I saw you earlier! You called him a pathetic nerd, a loser, a wimp! You kicked him down when he fell! You didn’t stop the other kids from ganging up on him! Are you just blind or an idiot?”

It seemed he was the quick to anger sort of person. If the teacher took the time to process his words, he would see that Robbie’s actions might have constituted as creepy. “That’s just how I teach! Ain’t my fault if he can’t catch up with his peers! If I didn’t push him, he’s going to remain a wimp! I’m doing him a favor!”

Robbie’s fists were clenched at his sides. “It’s people like you that make kids not want to be healthy in the first place. It’s people like _you—_ “ Here, he jabbed at his chest again. “—that make children think they’re weak and useless, a loser, a wimp when they’re not. It’s _people like you_ who breed the next generation of people who don’t care about their health.”

Before the teacher could make some sort of rebuttal, Robbie plowed on. “It’s _people_ like **you** that made _me_ the villain I am today.” His expression turned downright dangerous. “And being that I am a villain, it’s _people like you_ who should _watch your damn back!_ ”

By then, the teacher’s face had turned red and he looked like he was about to swing his fists when he paused, a look of realization entering his eyes. “Wait a minute… I know you. You’re that villain. Something Rotten. Looks like you leave up to your name, huh?” A sinister sort of grin crossed his lips. “And you threatened me. I just need to report this to—“

It was then that Sportacus came into view, flipping twice before coming to a stop. The teacher had a triumphant look. “And speak of the devil!” He then twisted his expression into a fearful look. “Help! He was threatening me! Lock him away before he hurts me!”

Instead of acting like he thought, the hero slid next to Robbie and threw an arm around his shoulders. “Hey there Robbie.” He turned to send the confused teacher a sharp look. “What seems to be the problem?”

“Nothing much,” Robbie replied, tone forcedly calm. “I was just having a lovely conversation with this teacher here.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes, it was a very pleasant talk.”

“Oh my god,” the teacher interjected, gaze flickering from the hero and the villain. “You two are fucking each other. What kind of messed up shit is that?”

“Not as messed up as a teacher bullying a student,” Sportacus spoke, his tone hardening. “I heard that part at least.”

“Of course you’ll take his side.” There was a scowl on his face. “How much did you pay to get him to suck your di—“

“Anyway,” Sportacus forcibly intervened, trying his best to keep his calm. “I take the side of those proven right. It seems to me that regardless of his title, Robbie has a foot above you, Mr teacher. There’s just something downright despicable for a teacher to purposely bully his students.”

“I’m not bullying that nerd! I’m whipping him into shape, just like how I’m supposed to!”

The couple felt their body tensing but before Sportacus could do anything, Robbie spoke up first. “Well then, we’ll just see who’s right.” Robbie swiveled on his heel, sending one last sharp look over his shoulder. “You better watch your damn back.”

Sportacus didn’t immediately joined him and instead, gave his own parting words. “And I’d avoid reporting this to anyone. If it comes down to it, who will people believe more? You or the town hero?”

With that, he jogged after Robbie, tuning out the string of insults thrown at him. Sportacus didn’t like throwing his title around but he figured this was a special case.

By the time they reached the lair, it was another round of cuddling to calm both of them down. Robbie’s hands played with Sportacus’ hair, his back and his arms while the elf took in all of the comforting sensations, using it to help ground him.

“We’ve got to find some sort of evidence,” the hero eventually spoke up, eyes sliding shut at the light scratches behind his ears. “Can’t let him get away with it.”

“I’m way ahead of you,” Robbie responded, taking comfort from the light nuzzles against his neck. “I have an idea in mind but it’ll take a few days for me to pull it off.”

“Mmm… do you need me to do anything?”

“Cheer Pixel up. Until I can get it, he’ll probably be bullied some more.” His expression darkened. “I wouldn’t put past that bastard to take it out on him, thinking it was his fault.”

Robbie’s fingers dug into his scalp before Sportacus could rile himself up. That gave him enough clarity to understand the importance behind Robbie’s words. While he gathered up the evidence, Sportacus should run damage control, giving Pixel the comfort he so desperately needed.

* * *

 So, for the next few days, they fell into a sort of routine. Robbie would be up earlier than noon, eyes glued on the many monitors tucked at a corner of his lair. Sportacus didn’t get to see what the monitors showed but Robbie assured him it was vital in his evidence collecting.

In the meantime, Sportacus tried his best to spend more time with Pixel. Even if his crystal didn’t go off half of the time, he made the effort to check up on him. If he looked sad, he’d cheer him up in any way that he could. If he just wanted to do nothing but sit in his lap and watch TV, he would do so albeit with some difficulty.

The other kids noticed the extra time and attention that he gave Pixel but thankfully, sweet perceptive Stephanie knew that he was doing this for a reason and kept them at bay. Sportacus was reluctant to tell her the real reason but then she looked at him with eyes that seemed years ahead of her actual age and told him that she understood.

Sportacus had given her an extra tight hug that time.

On evening, it had been completely on a whim for Sportacus to jog down this particular path. Still incensed with what happened a few days ago, the moment he felt that spike of anger when he remembered how sad Pixel looked earlier, he decided that he needed to burn off the energy before it got out of hand.

Robbie, who had been working feverously on his monitors for most of the day, barely looked up when he informed him of his plan. They shared a brief, distracted kiss before Sportacus climbed out of the hatch. The evening air felt cool against his heated skin, stinging his cheeks and giving him a bit of clarity.

Sportacus took a moment to take in a deep breath before he was off, sprinting down the road till Robbie’s lair disappeared from view. He could feel the muscles in his body moving, burning in that good way he was so familiar with. With each step that he took, with each swing of his arms and with each breath of air, his mind slowly relaxed, unwinding itself from the tangled bundle of the nerves and stress.

After doing a couple of laps at the nearby park, he opted to do one more before he returned to the lair. If anyone were to witness, they might have claimed that he had poor luck because honestly, that was the only way to explain how he managed to come across the man that had him quietly seething.

The moment he saw that figure, Sportacus briefly saw red. This bastard was the one who hurt Pixel, hurt his pup, that made him cry and he dared to call himself a teacher—

Sportacus sucked in a harsh breath through his teeth, trying his best to tamper down his anger. As much as he wanted to show the guy a piece of his mind, he had no reason to do so. Unprovoked actions would not win him any arguments, nor did mindless violence, despite his instincts screaming at him to do so.

If one were to witness the unfolding scene, then their stance might change to him having good luck. As if the gods themselves were smiling down upon him, the best possible recipe for justice was being cooked up without him realizing.

Sportacus didn’t want to greet him or even see his face but then the teacher noticed him anyway.

“Hey, you’re that blue fucker that harassed me that other day! You and your bitch had a lot of nerve!” He called out in an almost slurred manner. Sportacus’ jog slowed down to a stop, turning around to shoot him a scathing glare. He didn’t care for any insults thrown his way but when it was directed at his partner, then all bets were off.

“Excuse me?” Sportacus replied, watching as the guy came up to him, seemingly going for a menacing gait but it fell short from his near trip up. He wished he had fallen flat on his face. While he wouldn’t have laughed, it won’t stop a smile from creeping up. Up close, Sportacus could see the slight flush to his cheeks, the glazed look in his eyes.

“Yeah, I’d never forget that stupid looking mustache!” The reek of alcohol all but confirmed his suspicions. Sportacus frowned. It wasn’t even that late and he was already plastered. Not to mention stumbling around in public like a fool. If only there were others to see this pathetic sight.

“And unfortunately for me, I can’t scrub your mug from my memory so I’d say we’re even,” Sportacus responded in a controlled manner. He couldn’t blow up at the guy, no matter how much he wanted to. In the event of things going south, being calm would earn him more credibility from others. It was hard but he will try, if not for his sake then for Pixel.

“Fuck you.” The teacher scowled, practically entering his personal space to jam his finger into his chest. It felt laughably like a playful punch from a toddler. Sportacus didn’t slap the offending finger away but he did fold his impressively muscled arms over his chest, making it retreat before it could get crush. He wouldn’t feel bad if that happened.

“If throwing petty insults is all that you’re capable of doing, I suggest you go back home before you embarrass yourself any further,” Sportacus spoke in that official hero tone, though it lacked the honest good will that showed he was giving this advice out of concern for their safety. The sooner he’d be left alone, the better.

“What? Like that nerd’s been doing this entire time?” Sportacus gritted his teeth, mentally reminding himself to not punch that stupid face. “Like, what the fuck was all that about? Can’t mind your own damn business?”

“You were not acting professional. You shouldn’t have done so if you’re claiming to be a teacher.”

“And why not? He’s a nerd. If I didn’t push him, he’s going to be weak and useless.” Oh, deep breaths. _Deep breaths_ Sportacus.

“Pixel is by no means a nerd. He’s very brilliant, creating all sorts of inventions that you could only dream of. Even so, you cannot forget that he’s still a child. The way you treated him was horrible and you’re supposed to be his teacher. That makes it downright despicable.” Sportacus clenched his fists. He was sorely tempted to throw a punch but no, he had to remain calm.

“I was teaching sports the way it ought to be taught!” The teacher was screaming again, something seemingly sparked in his drunken stupor. “Not in some pansy girly ass way!”

Sportacus could hardly believe his ears. “Sports should be an enjoyable activity! How can you honestly say that when you’re making a child cry?!”

“Oh boohoo so the nerd’s a crybaby,” came the venomous reply. “Even more reason for me to toughen the weakling. He ought to man up!”

"He can do so at their own pace! He didn’t even have to if that's not what he wanted! A child’s happiness is what a teacher should value above all else!” Sportacus looked like he was ready to rip the man apart. His ears were twitching underneath his hat, teeth bared.

Either the drunk didn’t notice or he was too caught up in his delusions to care. The utter stupidity that was coming out of his mouth right now was almost mind boggling.

“I can’t teach the class when a whimp like that is bringing the class down!”

“Then it really says a lot about your credentials if a single child could impede your so called teaching to such a laughable degree,” Sportacus replied without missing a beat, eyes narrowing dangerously.

It seemed that hit a chord somewhere. The teacher spluttered for a moment before he glared at him, stumbling up to grab him by the collar. He tried to take advantage of the height he had by looming down on him. “You wanna say that again to my face!?”

Well then, he laid his hand on him first so the hero had the right to defend himself. Sportacus grabbed the man’s wrist faster than he could follow and _squeezed._

“OW OW LET ME GO YOU LUNATIC!” He screamed in pain, yanking desperately to free his wrist. “I’LL CALL THE COPS!”

“Like I said the other day, who's going to believe you? You or the town hero?”

Sportacus didn’t immediately let go. Instead, he waited until the man dropped to his knees before he released his iron tight hold. He immediately cradled his wrist, glaring up at him with clear, fearful eyes. It seemed pain helped sober him up, taking away the bravado with him.

Suddenly, it was Sportacus who looked intimidating. He may be on the shorter side but his chiseled figure more than made up for it. On the ground, it really made his muscles looked much more… dangerous. Like he could crush every bone in his body without even really trying.

Sportacus took a step forward, causing him to scramble back. He never paused in his steps, merely looking down at the pathetic figure until he backed himself up to a wall. With all of the things he spouted, Sportacus assumed he had at least some backbone to stand by it. Looks like he was just another one of those bullies who get scared the moment someone more powerful stepped up.

“Okay! Okay! I’ll leave the nerdy kid alone!” Sportacus paused in his steps at that but then he shot him an arctic glare.

“And why, pray tell, should I ever trust your word on that?”

There was a brief stare off with the teacher breaking away from his soul sucking gaze. “Fuck, just switch his classes or something! I’ll sign off on it.” He managed to meet his eyes again. “Then you’ll know for sure I’m keeping my word.”

Sportacus let loose a single, chilling chuckle. “You still don’t get it, do you?” He took another step till he was standing over the pitiful excuse of a teacher. “You’re still seeing _him_ as the problem when—“ Here, Sportacus crouched just to jab his chest just like he did to him before. “— _you’re_ the problem. Who is to say that the next so called nerdy kid in the class won’t get the same treatment? Do you honestly thought I’ll believe anything you say after everything you yelled at me?”

The teacher didn’t answer, settling on glaring hatefully at him. His silence said it all. Sportacus returned it with a disappointed look. “It’s teachers like you that destroys a child’s interest in school and learning. You should be guiding them, not instilling fear and practically destroying their self-confidence. All because of what? You’re unable to accept that there are different students who might need different approaches?”

After all that, the only answer he got in return was, “So what? I’m the adult, they’re kids. They should follow what I say if they know what’s good for them! What’re you gonna do about it, Sportafuck?”

Sportacus barely bat an eyelash at the insult. "Me?" He casually inspected his nails. "I could do a lot of things." His hand curled into a fist. "See this? It doesn't take much to break a nose. Just a straight punch down the middle. You won't--" Faster than the eye can see, he swung his fist, stopping just a hairsbreadth away from his nose. "--even see it coming."

The teacher yelped in surprise, slamming his head back against the wall. Sportacus idly noticed that his crystal wasn’t beeping for him, despite the way he groaned out in pain. In fact, it felt like it was almost… pleased with his actions, judging from the deep, soothing waves he sensed from it.

Good to know even his crystal took his side.

“If I—“ He choked out, one hand cradling the forming bump as he made a pitiful attempt of a glare. “—don’t touch you, then it’ll be assault! Even your so called hero status won’t save you from that! You’ll be just as bad as that pathetic villain on top of being a fucking fa—“

“If you know what’s good for you, don’t finish that sentence!” A different voice suddenly boomed, effectively extinguishing Sportacus’ desire to really hit the man. Both of them turned to Robbie, who was rapidly approaching them. There was a wide, vicious smile on his lips.

“Sporty! I have wonderful news!” Robbie greeted his partner, purposely stepping on the teacher’s foot as he passed by him.

Sportacus sent a quicksilver glance at the pained glare before he turned his attention to Robbie. Before the villain knew it, he was pulled closer by the waist, his surprised squeak being cut off by a sudden kiss on the lips. It was sudden and heavy and entirely breathtaking.

The elf pulled away first, casually resting his head on Robbie’s shoulder as he sent a pointed look at their common enemy, whose expression had a mix of disgust and flabbergasted. “Yes, what is it honey?”

Robbie remained in a daze for a few more seconds before he coughed into his fist, cheeks taking on a slight shade of red. While the kiss was unexpected, it wasn’t unwelcomed by any means. “Well I want to let you know that—“ Robbie straightened his vest, shooting the man a knife sharp grin. “—I have seen how this pathetic waste of space treat Pixel and other kids through my periscope in the same, disgusting way. Wouldn’t you like to know that it has this little handy dandy feature of recording anything that’s seen through it?”

“Ooh, I see,” Sportacus whispered, pressing a quick peck on his cheek while his eyes were trained on the teacher. “Did I tell you how much I love you and your brilliant mind?”

Robbie seemed flustered, once again caught off guard by Sportacus’ sudden show of affection but he maintained enough poise to nod coolly. “Not as much as you could have but this is a good start.”

That vicious smile was back. “So yes, I’ve made many copies. I don’t think the principal would appreciate your atrocious performance, Mr PE Teacher, nor would the rest of the parents in town. Though, I’ve yet to send it to them, it’s so very easy to do so when I have my own personal mailman…” Robbie playfully tapped Sportacus’ solid chest.

The hero nodded his head. “Yes, that’s what a hero do. Help people out by delivering mails and taking out the trash.”

Robbie leaned against his partner, a victorious smirk on his lips. “Told you that you should have watched your damn back.”

The teacher, who had been watching the exchange in stunned silence had turned several shades paler, the full implications of Robbie’s words sinking in. Not only will he lose his job, his reputation will be torn to shreds if those recordings circulated around. LazyTown was by no means a large city. It won’t take even a day before everyone in town knew about it.

Honestly, he was beat, hoisted by his own petard. Finally he was getting his just desserts. Perhaps he could have lessen the blow if he had apologized and begged for them to keep those recordings from the others.  Or maybe he could be a responsible adult for once and owned up for his mistakes.

Instead of doing any of that, he tried to muster up a scowl. “What the fuck have I done to deserve this, huh?”

As one, icy looks pinned him in place with cold efficiency. It had gotten late enough that the streetlamps were turned on. At that moment, the light that cast their forms, shadowing some parts and highlighting others, made them look downright terrifying. “Well, aside from being a shitty human being, you’re just a bully who picks on little kids.”

Sportacus rested one of his hand on Robbie’s hip, his free arm casually flexing, showcasing his powerful muscles. “You made Pixel, _our kid_ , cry. Others too from the looks of it.” His eyes turned arctic, the warm baby blues darkening to a near-twilight blue, almost demonic in its nature.

“So _run._ ”

The order, for it could be mistaken for nothing else, had not been shouted, nor had Sportacus snarled at him. His tone was calm, even and had an impassive steel edging it. The teacher had scrambled to his feet, finally looked at them with pure unadulterated fear in his eyes. He gave them a wide berth, staggering away as fast as his shaky legs could carry him.

“If you ever pulled this kind of stunt again, in LazyTown or anywhere else,” Sportacus’ voice, still soft, froze him in his tracks. Bottomless midnight turned to stare at him. “Then I will _hunt you down_ , no matter _where_ you go. And I’ll make sure you’ll regret _every_ single horrible action you ever took against children in your teaching career.”

Sportacus held his gaze for a moment longer, letting the promise sink in. And then the hero blinked, breaking the spell. The teacher was gone a fraction of a second later, fleeing the scene as if the devil itself was at his heels.

Silence descended upon the pair until it was broken by a low, impressed whistle.

“Wow. Just _wow_ ,” Robbie murmured, his tone an octave lower than usual. “While that was terrifying, that was also  _hot._ ”

“Of course you’ll see it that way,” Sportacus snorted in reply before he sighed. Now that the threat was gone, he could feel the adrenaline receding, leaving his body drained. It wasn’t just physically too. He felt mentally tired from the anger that he felt as well as the effort it took to keep it in check. It was a foreign emotion to him, one that he wished he didn’t have to experience often.

“Hey now,” Robbie uttered, letting him sag against him. The weight draped across his shoulders felt nice. “You did good. He deserved everything’s that coming.”

“I know.” Sportacus nuzzled slightly against Robbie’s chest. “It’s just, I’m not used to it, you know? I felt so angry that I wanted to punch his face. He insulted Pixel, insulted you.” He barked out a hollow laugh. “He called me Sportafuck. I think he was desperate.”

“Oh did he?” Robbie growled, pulling his elf closer. Oh, he will make sure that his reputation would be so shattered that he won’t be able to show his face in this side of the land. “I’m the only one that can use variations of your name.”

“Yes, I know that very well,” Sportacus responded softly. He let out another sigh, leaning more of his weight against Robbie. All he wanted to do right now was get back to their nice, warm bed with Robbie’s arms wrapped around him.

“Okay Sportadear, let’s go back to the lair.” Robbie leaned down to press a kiss on his forehead. “We’ll get a good night’s sleep and then we can systematically destroy his life tomorrow. You’re my personal mailman, remember? I’ve got enough copies made to give to every person in town along with their pets.”

Sportacus nodded his head. “I’d like that.”

With that, the pair slowly made their way back home, feeling a lot better now that they know everything will be alright. Robbie had a feeling that they’ll face some more obstacles along the way but so long as they were together, sharing the same desire to protect the children, then he’ll gladly walk down the path one step at a time.

He might be the villain but it felt good to be the hero, just this once.

**Author's Note:**

> so yeah this was one of my longest one-shots to date. hope it was enjoyable! maybe if ya'll really like this kind of plot and I have good prompts, I could write more of protective power couple. it's def fun writing sporty like this, that's for sure!


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